Nearly six months after Smash Mouth lead singer Steve Harwell announced his retirement from the band after a New York show where he appeared out of sorts, the band revealed their new frontman on Tuesday (March 1). And in keeping with their signature irreverence, they did it by seemingly RickRolling us, but not in the way you’re used to.
The official announcement came on Kevan Kenney’s Audacy show, where bassist Paul De Lisle revealed the new face of the long-running “All Star” group. “His name is Zach Goode, he’s from Brooklyn, Provincetown, New York City via L.A. and we’re very, very happy to have him on board,” De Lisle said with a smile.
Goode told Kenney he came of age in San Diego in the 1990s where he played at the city’s famed Soma club alongside P.O.D., Blink-182, Sugar Ray and Korn. He has fronted more than half a dozen bands over the years according to his official website, including the “rock, comedy, rap and barbershoppe” Weezer/Beastie Boys cover band Geezer, the yacht rock cover band Windbreakers, the 80s hits bar band Neon Jeans, 70s cover act Cougar Getting, Jr., rap-rock-reggae act Ghoulspoon and hard rock/reggae/punk band Divided By Zero; Goode also performs as a solo acoustic singer/songwriter.
His site also notes his voiceover work for Taco Bell, Mattel and Hot Wheels and his work as a party DJ. At press time a spokesperson for Smash Mouth had not returned a request for comment and Goode had not responded to questions about his new gig.
And though Rick Astley‘s iconic 1987 hit “Never Gonna Give You Up” has become a legendary internet troll via the patented bait-and-switch “RickRoll,” Smash Mouth seem to have christened their new era with a fairly faithful, but decidedly Mouth-y cover of the song in which Goode appears to strike the perfect blend of scratchy Harwell-esque vocals and his own upbeat vibe.
Harwell sat out a number of 2021 shows due to reported health issues and then retired after an afternoon gig in Bethel, New York in October during which he slurred his words, cursed at fans and threatened them and appeared unwell. Shortly after, a rep for the San Jose-bred group revealed that the 55-year-0ld singer had been dealing with “long-term medical issues” over the previous eight years and that he suffered “numerous symptoms directly linked with his current medical situation” during the show.
The statement noted that Harwell was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy eight years ago, which the Mayo Clinic defines as a disease of the heart muscle that “makes it harder for your heart to pump blood to the rest of your body.” The ailment can lead to heart failure, with symptoms ranging from breathlessness during activity to bloating, fatigue, rapid heartbeat, dizziness and chest pressure.
At the time, the group best known for their ska-tinged pop punk hits “Walkin’ on the Sun,” “All Star” and covers of songs by the Monkees (“I’m a Believer”) and War (“Why Can’t We Be Friends”) — said they planned to continue performing and that they had Harwell’s “full support” in finding a replacement.
Watch the announcement below and check out the “Never Gonna Give You Up” cover below.
Introducing Zach Goode! https://t.co/knZvjF3s4M
— Smash Mouth (@smashmouth) March 2, 2022
